Deep Dive | India’s EV Transition Needs Grid-Integrated Planning & Delhi Can Lead the Way

With the national capital expecting its new EV policy soon, Sumedh Agarwal , Director, Smart and Resilient Power and Mobility at AEEE, opens up about what Delhi’s EV expansion means for the power grid, and how smart planning today can build resilience for tomorrow.

1. As Delhi prepares to renew its EV policy, what could a significant expansion in charging stations mean for the city’s power grid, particularly during peak hours?

 As Delhi moves to scale electric mobility, the addition of a large number of EV charging stations presents a significant opportunity, both to expand clean transport and to rethink grid planning. Such expansion introduces a new layer of concentrated, localised electricity demand.

For context: a single DC fast charger can draw 350 kW, while slow chargers draw between 3–6 kW, similar to a typical household’s load. When multiple chargers operate simultaneously, the demand at a location can equal that of a small hospital building.

This becomes especially relevant during Delhi’s existing peak hours – early afternoon (1-4 pm) and late evening (8 pm-midnight). Adding commercial EV charging and residential home-charging during these periods could increase pressure on local transformers and feeders in dense neighbourhoods. Planning for this change may require distribution utilities to assess upgrades to service panels, transformer replacements, and substation reinforcements in targeted areas.

This is not a reason to retreat, but a signal to plan smarter. Integrating EV charging into comprehensive power distribution system planning – not just transportation strategy – is paramount. With robust data analytics, smart load management systems, and sophisticated forecasting models, Delhi can build a reliable and future-ready energy ecosystem for e-mobility.

2. How can Delhi’s power grid support a rapid EV charging scale-up while maintaining reliability and stability?

A combination of infrastructure hardening, smart pricing, and grid-integrated planning can go a long way in supporting grid readiness.

Delhi’s DISCOMs will be better equipped to manage future demand by reinforcing key substations and feeders, particularly near high-traffic charging areas. Linking charger subsidies to utilisation rates can help ensure more efficient deployment and prevent the emergence of 'ghost stations' – underused facilities that still draw resources. Even idle fast chargers can contribute 'phantom loads,' subtly increasing baseline demand without delivering active service.

Delhi can implement time-varying electricity rates and controlled EV charging time programs to flatten the demand curve. Successful examples exist in other countries wherein technology providers are able to manage charging on behalf of the grid, get compensated for the amount they can produce or time-shift, and then share some of that with the EV owner. This has significantly reduced capex for utilities and created a win-win situation for everyone.

Additionally, co-locating fast chargers with solar PV canopies and battery energy storage systems (BESS) offers a scalable way to shave peaks and buffer local grid impacts. These battery-buffered hubs can deliver fast charging without adding large instantaneous loads.

Public charging projects that further embed features like dynamic load management, onsite energy storage, or integration with local energy management systems should be a key focus. If this strategy is executed well, EVs can be turned from passive loads into active grid-balancing assets.

3. How can demand response and flexible load management be built into Delhi’s EV charging ecosystem?

Demand response offers a valuable opportunity to build agility into Delhi’s EV ecosystem. For example, during evening peaks, smart software at charging hubs can delay non-urgent charging, switch to stored solar power, or in some cases, use vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities to support the grid.

With automated demand response already piloted in parts of Delhi’s distribution network, we have the tools. We just need the coordination. Fleet operators, aggregators, and DISCOMs can collaborate on scheduling algorithms and incentive systems. Unified charging apps can integrate grid signals, nudging users to shift habits. Fleet operators can act as aggregators, coordinating when and where EVs charge. Dynamic load balancing at charging stations can prevent simultaneous high-power draws that risk overloading local transformers.

As India moves towards smart, decentralised power systems, such flexibility will be a key currency. With the right collaboration and digital infrastructure, EVs can contribute not just to mobility but also to grid resilience.

4. What kind of coordination between transport and power utilities, urban planners, and regulators can enable a grid-resilient EV policy rollout?

Effective EV-grid integration benefits from alignment between the power and transport sectors. In Delhi, this includes coordination among DISCOMs, DERC, DDA, and the Transport Department. Identifying land parcels for charging infrastructure in tandem with grid upgrade plans ensures that new locations are both accessible and grid-ready.

International best practice supports this: utilities are increasingly collaborating with city planners, transport departments, and regulators to share data and forecasts, so that EV growth areas are anticipated and grid reinforcements are done ahead of need. Financial coordination is equally important, regulators must streamline approvals and align subsidies for charging infrastructure with grid investment plans. Regulators should fast-track approvals for EV-specific tariffs and mandate open protocols for charger-grid communication. 

Within utilities, forming dedicated e-mobility or grid integration teams can improve internal coordination, from technical studies for fast-charging hubs to streamlining home charger installations. Training utility staff on emerging technologies (like smart chargers or battery swapping) will build trust across departments. EV transition is not just about vehicles, it’s about systems and smart governance.

5. Can India use this moment to develop a blueprint for EV-grid integration that other cities can replicate, especially by using data and AI?

Delhi’s EV charging strategy could be more than a local solution – it could be India’s EV-grid playbook. One solution to explore is creating a ‘digital twin’ of the distribution network overlaid with projected electric vehicle (EV) charging demand. Combining traffic, vehicle, and transformer data can help simulate the impacts of EV charging and identify grid stress points. 

To make the playbook truly replicable, using open standards and interoperability of EV charging stations is key. Delhi DISCOMs are already experimenting with heat-mapping techniques and automated demand response tools. Scaling this to a unified data platform – interfaced by regulators, utilities, and EV providers – can drive dynamic pricing, informed siting, and load optimisation. By bringing this all together – data, AI, smart pricing, public-private models – such a plan can offer a replicable blueprint for tier-1 and tier-2 cities alike. 

Imagine an open-source EV-grid integration platform: real-time data flows between chargers, DISCOMs, and urban planners; pricing adjusts dynamically to grid stress; fleet operators schedule charging to minimise congestion and cost.  This is not just a tech issue – it’s a governance opportunity. With the right architecture in place, Delhi’s EV policy can evolve into a national blueprint – flexible, intelligent, and inclusive.